Tuolumne said:
What number of units do you think would make for "an unequivocal success"?
/T
In some old thread I read a speculation that 15.000 in the first year would be an impossible target. At any rate at the moment they are able to sell more cameras than they can build and there is a huge backlog in lens orders - I would call that a succes.
As to the thread - yes, there are downsides and it certainly is not an universal camera for everybody, but it produces high-quality files, has the real Leica M feel and seems to have gotten over the teething troubles in reliability. The IR "issue"is in reality a non-issue, is as much as that there are more cameras out there with that kind of sensitivity in varying degrees, like the RD1, Nikon D70, some mid-format digital backs etc. and photographers cope without problem. The reasoning behind this design decision is sound and the failure was in communicating.
Love it or hate it - to those that appreciate the camera it is un-put-downable.
Olsen said:
- The purple fabrics. - Really, for me, I don't bother much, but my brother in law looks like hotel doorman in his dark blazer that looks purple on all my M8 shots (He thinks that I am an complete idiot that has spent so much money in such a lousy camera. He is right). No, I have not received the UV/IR filters yet. Called for them first in beginning of May. Nor am I particularly optimistic about their effect.
I have a very strong suspicion you'll be pleasantly surprised...
But- you should have them by now. Most M8 owners have.
sgy1962 said:
I'm also interested in whether those who transitioned from a film M to an M8 would do something differently, now in hindsight, like whether there initial lens selection was correct or the need for a new computer or take a course on how to process photos on the computer or anything like that.
The lens question is a very relevant one. I made a number of mistakes and am correcting them now.
Firstly, the impact of the sensor crop turned out to be far less than I anticipated. I thought I would shift one focal length, but in reality all my lenses "feel" similar to what they were on film. As a result, I sold off the Tri- Elmar, which I expected to be my standard lens.
I expected the 24 to turn into a 35-like lens, but in my hands, though a superb lens, it was the same unloved focal length it was before.
What do I use now- mainly 21, 35, 50 and 90. The 1.4/75 Summilux for its beautiful plasticity, the 135 and 15 for obvious reasons (the usability of the 135 was a very pleasant surprise).
As to computer skills: fewer than with the digital Canon I shot before. C1 is, if the mind and the program mesh, as they do in my case, a beautifully simple and intuitive program. Do the cropping,resizing if needed, sharpening (if needed - very little) and general enhancement (again- it needs but little if at all) in Photoshop Elements 5, and that is all you really need. The computer. Photoshop needs 1 GB of RAM., the harddisk needs a lot of space That is all.
A good monitor and a calibration tool like the Spyder are essential imo.
I use an online printing service and a professional lab for my printing, getting results I could never attain myself. So no extra costs for the printer, nor printer calibration headaches.
